I haven't brewed with a French press but maybe somebody here can answer this: Do the solids that you typically get with a French press make the coffee seem stronger than a cup of coffee of the same strength that is filtered through paper?

I certainly notice a difference when switching between Aeropress (paper filters) and moka coffee (noticable solids). The Aeropress coffee is both cleaner and yet somehow less satisfying. I think it's one (of several) reasons why I use more coffee in an Aeropress than in a moka pot.

I wonder if French press is similar in this regard. And if so, would someone who is accustomed to that be inclined to updose in an Aeropress?

The paper filters will filter out all suspended solids & cut down on a lot of the coffee oils also.See my posts/links/pics about the Able brewing regular & fine ss disks & the Kaffeologie S filter. Using any one of these you will then have all the body, mouthfeel & coffee oils sort of similar to a French press.

Just a contrast to the above, neither is more "right" than the other, just different points of view and tastes.I prefer Aeropress to a French press, something like 1000 to 1. I really can't stand the fines in the cup. I also do the inverted press when I use the Aeropress, this tends to allow more oils get through rather than filtering them out in the bed of coffee.

I like a vac pot better than either of the two above though, it is a nice, clear cup with all the flavor and oils I could want, for me, it is very close to the perfect brewed cup.

In real life, my name isWayne P.Anything I post is personal opinion and is only worth as much as anyone else's personal opinion. YMMV!

GREAT post Steve!I 've been home beer brewing since 1971 & went all grain full mash since since 1986, so I know full well about a sparging bed (& recirculation), depth of filtration bed, polyphenols, tannins, lipids, etc & where the increase in alkalinty (over mash tun PH of 5.0-5.1) will pull out too much of the undesirables so you have to know when to stop/arrive at your 'sparge end point'.

Going from memory, & that's 16 years ago for my last all grain mash! (coffee kinda took over ;)), the practical end point was a S.G. Specific Gravity of around 1.008 & PH of 5.3 which can vary on the style of beer being produced along with other factors (brewing water composition, etc).

Using just a paper filter (with no layer of grounds preceding it) only works well for low pressure because the thin medium is susceptible to channelling. The best filter designs use layered coarse-to-fine densities to distribute the flow and prevent channelling under higher throughput.

So if I stir vigorously right before pressing (through a paper filter) will I notice a difference in my Aeropress coffee?Will it be comparable to the coffee I'd get if used one of the several available metal filters?

So if I stir vigorously right before pressing (through a paper filter) will I notice a difference in my Aeropress coffee?Will it be comparable to the coffee I'd get if used one of the several available metal filters?

Well from my point of view as I see it & my experience using the standard Aeropress paper filter & the three different metal disks, I'd say no. What are you trying to find/see/experience? As Netphilosopher analytically posts, there are many ways to use, experiment with extraction parameters/results, etc.The coffee will have a more 'polished' look & taste to it with a paper filter as compared to the disks IMO & FWIW.

Like an analogy of a "comparison" of a normal old style Bodum, generic, etc horizontal French press screen to the dual stage mico filtered French press coffee. There's a world of difference with the Espro & I don't think I'll be going back to the old style FP's anytime soon lol, if EVER..

This is TOTALLY more refined, like the difference between a coarse filtered FP, & the coffee grinds bed filtering effect in a vacuum pot. Smoother, cleaner, & a more refined 'polished' taste.

All depends I suppose on what you like, & are looking for in your AP coffee?

More body? I'm not sure exactly as I'm still a novice. The coffee I've brewed in an Aeropress has always tasted a little, I don't know, "flat" to me.

This morning I made two cups, the first my usual way and the second with a last minute stir followed by a faster press. There appeared to be more fines in the second cup, but I can't say it tasted a whole lot better or worse.

Well I 've only done a couple of brews with each one John, so I can't give an informed opinion without a lot more brews & experience with the three of them (regular & fine Able disks & Kaffeologie S disk).

I've tried the three different sizes of the Able Brewing Disk metal filters with the Aeropress, the original 010 size, the second 008 size, and finally the FINE Disk. The first two filters are more rigid, feeling like a stainless steel wafer that has holes drilled in and the last one feels more like a mesh, though it does have some rigidity. I prefer the FINE Disk, it's the cleanest of the three and results in a nice cup. I suppose that you could have problems with longevity of the FINE Disk if you bend it, etc. but I haven't seen that with mine. I haven't been playing with it much since I got a Kalita Wave setup which also produces fine coffee, and more of it.

The metal filters are nice in that they are re-usable, easy to clean, and give you good mouthfeel / body and let the coffee oils pass through.

There is also the Kaffeologie S Filter for the Aeropress, I haven't tried this one.

With any of the metal mesh filters, you'll probably want to switch to an inverted Aeropress routine otherwise the water will drain too quickly. With the inverted method, there can be more chances for tips, spills, and burns, so be careful.

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